Wind turbines from TES Canada | The CAQ government defends its elected officials
(Quebec) The CAQ government defends the work of its deputies and “respects the work of the promoter” in the controversial issue of TES Canada, a hydrogen factory project worth more than 4 billion which must be powered by its own wind turbines and its wind farm in Mauricie.
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The project is currently contested in several localities and 64 elected officials from the Mékinac and Chenaux MRCs signed a letter addressed to the government on March 10 to close the door to wind turbines.
During question period on Tuesday, PQ MP Pascal Paradis deplored the lack of response from the government, while the entire Mauricie is represented by CAQ MPs.
“I went to Mauricie, I met all the stakeholders, and there is one thing that is unanimous, one, and that is that the government has been completely absent on this subject, which is one of the main subjects currently in the region,” denounced Mr. Paradis.
In response, the Minister for the Economy, Samuel Poulin, praised the work of his colleagues, but also recalled like other ministers before him that the company must pass the test of social acceptability.
“I have no doubt about the competence, listening skills and determination of my colleagues from Mauricie to defend their region and listen to their people,” he argued.
Municipal elected officials in the region had already indicated to The Canadian Press that they had the impression of being left to their own devices by the government in this divisive issue which divides their community and whose scope far exceeds the limited resources of small municipalities.
Referendums were held in certain municipalities last year and the No vote won. But last November, Christine Fréchette, who was then Minister of the Economy and Energy and who is currently a candidate to succeed François Legault, declared that TES Canada is an excellent project which is the subject of discussions with local elected officials.
“Municipal democracy matters,” assured Mr. Poulin in the Chamber, adding that the file would be studied by the Office of Public Hearings on the Environment (BAPE).
“Let us respect the process that is prescribed within our laws, let us obviously respect the work that is done by the company with the community. »
TES Canada wants to build an 800 megawatt wind farm, or more than 130 wind turbines, and a 200 megawatt solar farm, to power a green hydrogen production plant which will be located in Shawinigan.
The plant will therefore produce up to 70,000 tonnes of green hydrogen and supply Quebec businesses.
Green hydrogen would be used to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from industrial sectors, certain processes and heavy transport that are difficult to electrify.
One of the main customers of the project will be Énergir, which will have to inject under the rules a proportion of natural gas from renewable sources into its network.
The final investment decision is expected to be made at the end of this year.
